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What's More Important Than Your Big Idea? What Comes Afterward.

A genius idea can be the launching pad for a major business plan, but a launching pad alone isn’t of much use to anybody. A great idea only becomes great when an equally brilliant plan is crafted around it, built, and then executed. Until then, your idea is worth about as much as the paper it’s written on.

When the rubber meets the road is where the greatness of your idea will truly be proven. Innovative concepts and razor-sharp abilities are valuable pieces, but without the effort to make it all real, your dreams are likely to remain a fantasy. But your effort alone isn’t enough.

Making your idea into something real takes more than just ambition and knowledge. While you’re probably a self-starter (most entrepreneurs are), taking that next step requires a group of people who understand what you’re doing and have the skills and experience to make it real. Assembling a few friends and family members won’t cut it in today’s marketplace: even if you’re on a tight budget, a good, reliable workforce is worth its weight in gold. Implementing your great ideas is how that crack team will be put to the test. It’s up to them to ensure that your vision becomes reality, and their success or failure in this endeavor will end up being your own.

You might not want to hear this next point, but it’s one of the harsh truths that’s really a benefit in disguise. Taking your big idea from concept to creation exposes it to the light of day, where people beside you and your team will be able to mull it over, examine and consider it from angles you may not have ever conceived. They say light is the greatest disinfectant, so any imperfections in this idea of yours are about to be exposed.

This has two effects. For one thing, wider exposure lets you see just how fast your idea spreads: an effective way to learn if it’s truly special. Additionally, while a great idea can disseminate in a flash, it’ll get torn to shreds if it isn’t--or worse, ignored. This is not necessarily a bad thing! It’s best for you to learn as quickly as possible that your idea was not what you imagined it to be. Bad ideas make it to market all the time, and by that point embarrassment is the best case scenario. A bad idea brought to market can end up ruining your name, so you benefit in the long run if the exposure reveals your idea to be a dud.

Secondary to implementation and execution, but no less important, is spreading the word about your brilliant idea. I know, we all want to think that our idea can speak for itself, but the unfortunate truth is that without marketing yourself and your business, your idea is likely to fall on deaf ears. Smart and effective external communications can do the heavy lifting to get your game-changing product or service into your customers’ hands.

Being an “idea person” is great, but ideas alone won’t pay your bills. By accruing the team, the perspective, and the know-how to make your idea into reality, you’re following the well-trod path of entrepreneurial success. If all your idea amounts to is words on a piece of paper, you’re just blowing smoke.

About the Author(s)

Bennat Berger is a property development expert with extensive experience in multifamily and commercial property investments.